Force-feedback interface device for the hand

• US 6,413,229 B1
• Filed: 02/09/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Virtual Technologies, Inc. (Immersion Corporation)
• Inventors: Kramer, James F., Tremblay, Marc R., Gomez, Daniel H., Yim, Mark H.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US09/501,015
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/592, 600/593, 600/595, 364/413.02
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/225 of the fingers, e.g. by monitoring hand-grip force
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A man-machine interface is disclosed which provides force information to sensing body parts. The interface is comprised of a force-generating device (106) that produces a force which is transmitted to a force-applying device (102) via force-transmitting means (104). The force-applying device applies the generated force to a sensing body part. A force sensor associated with the force-applying device and located in the force applicator (126) measures the actual force applied to the sensing body part, while angle sensors (136) measure the angles of relevant joint body parts. A force-control unit (108) uses the joint body part position information to determine a desired force value to be applied to the sensing body part. The force-control unit combines the joint body part position information with the force sensor information to calculate the force command which is sent to the force-generating device.

Claims

1. A robotic force-feedback system, said system comprising:

a force-feedback device for contacting a human hand having a sensing link connected to a non-sensing link with at least one sensing joint between the sensing and non-sensing links, said device comprising a force applicator adapted to apply a force to the sensing link;

force application means for applying a generated force between said sensing link and said non-sensing link, said force application means comprising a moment-augmenting structure, a tendon elevated by said moment-augmenting structure, said tendon connected to said force applicator and capable of transmitting the generated force to the force applicator;

a manipulator disposed at a location separated from said force-feedback device; and

a communication link between said force-feedback device and said manipulator.

3. A robotic force-feedback system according to claim 1 wherein said device comprises a glove.

4. A force-feedback system according to claim 1 wherein the force applicator comprises a platform and wherein the platform may be moved from a first position displaced from the sensing link to a second position in contact with the sensing link.

2. An interactive computer system comprising:

first and second force-feedback interface devices for right and left hands of a human operator, each said interface device including means for sensing the force applied to at least one fingertip of a finger and generating a sensed applied force signal related to said sensed force, and means for controlling the fingertip force in response to said sensed applied force signal, wherein said fingertip force may vary as a function of finger position;

a display device for presenting a graphic environment to said human operator; and

simulation means receiving said sensed signals and information about said graphic environment and communicating feedback to said human operator as said human operator interacts with said graphic environment.

5. An interactive computer system according to claim 2 wherein the computer system is a computer aided design system and wherein said graphic environment is a design environment.

6. A force-feedback system comprising:

a device adapted to contact a human hand having a sensing link connected to a second link with at least one joint between the sensing link and the second link, the force-feedback device comprising a force applicator adapted to apply a force to the sensing link; and

force application means for applying a generated force to the sensing link, said force application means comprising a moment-augmenting structure positionable on the human hand, a tendon elevated by said moment-augmenting structure, said tendon connected to said force applicator and capable of transmitting the generated force to the force applicator.

7. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the force application means applies a force between the sensing link and the second link.

8. A force-feedback system according to claim 7 wherein the second link is a non-sensing link.

9. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the joint is a sensing joint.

10. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 further comprising a force generator remote from the force applicator.

11. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the tendon is enclosed along at least a portion of its length by a casing.

12. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the force applicator comprises a force sensor capable of generating a signal related to the force applied to the sensing link.

13. A force-feedback system according to claim 12 further comprising a control system for controlling the generated force is response to the signal.

14. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the moment-augmenting structure comprises first and second elements connected by an articulation.

15. A force-feedback system according to claim 14 wherein the first and second elements move in the same plane.

16. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the moment-augmenting structure comprises a flexure-articulating component and an abduction articulating component.

17. A force-feedback system according to claim 16 wherein the moment-augmenting structure further comprises two revolute joints.

18. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the moment-augmenting structure comprises a member comprising means for attachment to an intermediate link between the sensing link and the second link.

19. A force-feedback system according to claim 6 wherein the force applicator comprises a platform.

20. A force feedback system according to claim 19 wherein the platform may be moved from a first position displaced from the sensing link to a second position in contact with the sensing link.